Work supporting bar for enameling furnaces



Aug. 16, 1932. F. A. FAHRENWALD ,3

WORK SUPPORTING BAR FOR ENAMELING FURNACES Filed April 25. 1951 jlllllllfllllil Mew? 1 Fatented Aug, 1%, 132

FRANK A. FAHRENWALD, @F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS WORK SUPPORTING g:

Application filed April 25,

This invention relates to means intended to be associated with endless chain or other carriers through which workpieces can be introduced into or passed through a furnace in the 5 process of enameling, for instance, a comblike bar designed with an attaching base parrying perpendicularly extending supporting fingers, usually pointed at their ends, upon which the workpieces may rest with a minimum impairment of the vitreous enamelin material applied to the surfaces of the wor pieces.

It is desirable to make supporting bars of this kind of relatively light dimensions, with the attaching base in a different plane from that of the supporting fingers; and the object of the invention is to so'design the bar that, while being of light construction, it will have ample rigidity in the direction of its load,

coupledwith freedom from distortion, checking or other failures induced by the high temperatures to which it is subjected in use. Accordingly, the invention resides in a base in the form of a relatively thin, plate-like bar,

26 one or more upstanding work-supporting fingers, and a-connecting member standing in the relation of a stiffening flange to said base and supporting said fingers; the said connecting member constituting an integral lateral continuation of the base at one longitudinal margin thereof and curved from the base into a plane at an angle to the base sufficient to cause stresses from the load of supported goods to be exerted in the plane of the flange, thus enabling the flange to stiffen the base across the space bridged by the bar; but the flange is united with the bar, not as an abrupt angular projection but through the medium of a web curved in transverse section sulficiently to adapt it to absorb stresses resulting from high temperature, in other words, having the stifl'ening flange constitute virtually a continuation of the flange-like attaching base, so that heat stresses are transmitted from one member of the integral structure to the other instead of having the stresses in the respective members acting in lines which intersect.

60 In the accompanying drawing, in which ---l FQR ENAMELING FUR/NACES 1931. Serial No. 532,825.

one embodiment of the invention .is shown by way of illustration Figure 1 is an elevational view in a plane transverse to the supporting bar, with the bar in section on the line 1m1w of Figure 2; and

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 200-2410 of Figure 1.-

Ghains 1 are typical of any form of conveyor to which the bar of the present invenac tion may be appropriately applied. The bar comprises a base 2, which is shown secured at its ends 3 upon flanges 4 of the chains 1, and 5 is a stifi'ening flange integral with the base 2 in a plane sufiiciently diverse from the plane of the base2 to stiflen the latter against transverse loads, and having in upstanding positions upon it, fingers 6 pointed at their ends and serving as supports for workpieces intheir presentation to the enameling fur- 6 nace. Flange 5 is integrally united to the base 2, not through an abrupt angle but through means of curved connecting member 7 .which constitutes a virtual continuation of the two members 5 and 2 in the sense that 7 transverse stresses in the plane of either member may be transmitted to the other member instead of being exerted in lines which intersect. Parts 2, 5 and 7 are preferably also free from abrupt changes in thickness. Also so as a condition of the preferred embodiment v of the invention, or an embodiment in which the desirable features are realized to the fullest measure, the curvature of the member 7 should b substantially through an arc of st lf in rder to bring the plane of the upstanding fingers 6 over the base 2, and to have the section of the flange 5 in the form of a reverse curve; so that none of the changes of direction will be sufliciently abrupt to de- 00 velop conflicting stresses in expansion and contraction under changes in temperature. The workpiece supporting bar herein glescribed involves a form and construction which may be produced with peculiar advantage by foundry practice.

I claim: M 1. A bar for supporting workpieces in furnaces, comprising a base in one plane, a stiflening flange in another plane carrying work 9 supporting means, and a Web uniting sai i base and flange and having a curved section 2. A bar for supporting workpieces in furnaces, comprising a base in one plane, a stifi ening flange in another plane carrying Work supporting means, and a Web uniting said A base and flange and having a curve i section; the flange being reversely curved. and the entire curvature of the Web and flange being 1 sufiicient to present the Work supporting portion in a plane over the base.

Signed at Chicago Heights, Illinois, this day of Apri1,1931.

I FRANK A FAHRENWALD.

so s5 

